Safety float



April 14, 1954 s. M. nAvlsoN, .1R 3,123,481

'SAFETY FLOATl Filed June 2'2"..V 1961 mmv-TOR.;

United States Patent Ofce 3,128,481 Patented. Apr. 14, 1.964

Filed June 27, 1961, Ser. No. 120,013 2 Claims. (Ci. 9--316) Thisinvention relates to safety devices and is more particularly directed tonew and improved buoyant float devices and actuatingmechanisms thereforfor use by skin divers, and the like.

Heretofore, scuba and skin divers have employed inflatable bladder-typeiioat devices for increasing their buoyancy. For example, if the diverbecomes tired and wishes to relax for a short period of time, inflatableoat devices carried by the diver, secured as to `his belt, would beinflated by him and, thus, the diver would not be required to exerthimself in maintaining his position. Iniiatable bladder-type floatdevices have also been used for surface marking of the general locationunderwater of scuba and skin divers. These iioat devices are carried bythe diver with the bladder deflated, and the diver would inflate thebladder and release the device whereby the device would ascend to andiloat on the surface of the body of water in which the diver wassubmerged.

The present invention provides anV improved buoyant float device havinga bladder inilating mechanism which provides positive rupturing of acartridge or cylinder containing the pressurizing medium for iniiatingthe bladder.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide animproved buoyant and leakproof iioat device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedbuoyant and leakproof iioat device'having a positive actuating mechanismfor iniiating the bladder of the device.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedbuoyant and leakproof lioat device manually actuatable to assureimmediate inflation of the bladder of the device.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvedlever controlled actuating mechanism for iniiating the expandiblebladder of a buoyant and leakproof float device.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved actuating mechanism for buoyant signal oat devices and whichemploys a manually actuatable lever which is easily operated and isadapted to rupture the cylinder orv cartridge containing thebladder-expanding medium.

Brieiiy, the above and further objects are accomplished with the presentinvention wherein a ii'oat device including inflatable means, such as abladder carrying a conventional rupturable cylinder of iniiating gas,may be iniiated by actuating mechanism including a tiring pin carried inthe end cap of the iioat device which, when actuated, will notmalfunction and which'will rupture the cylinder to assure expansion ofthe bladder.

The above andI further objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will become readily apparent from a careful consideration ofthe following detailed description when considered in conjunctionl withthe accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a float device constructed inaccordance with the principles of the present invention and shown on areduced scale;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, sectional view of the actuating mechanismincorporated in the iloat device of FIG. 1 for iniiating the bladder;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3of FIG. 2, assuming thedevice to be completely shown therein;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2, assuming thedevice to be completely shown therein',

FIG. 5 is an end View of the device of FIG. 1 in elevation, illustratingthe details of the lever of the actuating mechanism of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a perspective View of the piston assembly of FIG. 2 brokenaway to illustrate the cartridge rupturing member carried thereby.

Briefly stated, the present invention relates to an improved buoyant andleakproof float, an embodiment of which appears in FIG. 1 and which isgenerally indicated by the numeral 7. The float 7 includes an expandibleor iniiatable bladder 8 constructed of elastomeric material, such asrubber, and which is preferably inert to the liquid environment in whichit is adapted to be used. The blad-v der 8 is closed at one end 9 and isprovided at the opposite end with an elongated shank 10 opened as'at 11.

As clearly appears in FIG. 2, the bladder 8 is preferably made of atwo-ply construction including an inner blad-` der 12 and an outerbladder 13 conforming to one another. The use of two separate bladdersinstead of one to obtain a desired thickness minimizes the possibilityof the bladder deflating as a result of weaknesses in the walls of thebladders since the likelihood that both bladders would have the samestructural weakness in the same area is negligible. The shank 10 issuliiciently long to permit grasping thereof by the user and, for thispurpose, is preferably of a length sized t0 comfortably iit the width ofthe average human hand.

Maintained in the shank 10 is a generally cylindrical` housing 14constructed of lightweight rigid material, such, for example, asaluminum. The cylinder 14 is open at opposed ends 15 and 16 and includesa plurality of internal grooves 17 providing passageways for conductingthe pressurizing fluid from the end 16 of the housing into the interiorof the bladder.A

VAs best shown in FIG. 2, a cylinder 19 is supported in the housing 14by a plurality of ribs 18 which `define the grooves 17. The cylinder 19maybe a conventional CO2` cartridge and contains the pressurizing gas orother fluid for expanding the bladder. The cylinder 19 is provided witha reduced diameter neck' 19a having a rupturable end wall 20. To preventaxial movementV of thecylinder 19 into the bladder 8, a transverse baror rod 21 is presstted into a suitable transverse hole in the housing 14and provides a retaining seat for the cylinder 19.

The housing 14 is externally threaded as indicated at 22 to receive inthreaded engagement therewithra generally cylindrical fitting 23 havingan annular end flange 24y and an intermediate external, annular flange25 for securing the inating mechanism to the bladder-S'as morev fullydiscussed hereinafter. Preferably, the housing 14 and the fitting 23 areassembled before insertionv thereof' in the shank 10 of the bladder 8.The housing 14 and the fitting 23 are'slightly larger than theunexpanded internalf diameter of the neck ofthe bladderS to assure atight holding tit between the iniiating mechanism and thef to threadedlyreceive an end plate or cap iitting 27 whichv houses means for rupturingthe head 20 of the cylinder 19` To assure a leakproof connection betweenthe cap 27 and the iitting 23, a resilient annular'seal or O-ringZS-isprovided which seats against and 'is compressedbetween the shouldersprovided by the end ilange 24 and the/ cap 27.

The cap 27 has Ian .axial bore 29 and is counterboredl` at'r both endsas indicated at .30 and 31. The bar 21 Iis loamasar cated so as toposition the cylinder 19 with its neck portion 19a partly within thecounter-bore 30. A piston 32, best shown in FIG. 6, is slidably disposedin the bore 29 and resilient means, such as a spring 33, is bottomed atone end on a shoulder 29a located between the bore 29 and thecounterbore 31 Aand abuts at its other end against a shoulder 32a of thepiston. The piston 32 is provided with `an annular `groove 34a toreceive a resilient annular gasket or O-ring 34 which is slightlycompressed between the piston 32 and the counterbore 31, thus assuring ahermetic seal between the piston and internal wall of the counterbore31.

The reduced portion of the piston 32 carries an outwardly tapered ringpin or needle 35 having a longitudinal groove 36 therein for permittingthe escape of gas from the cartridge 19 after it has been punctured. Inits end wall adjacent the pin 35, the piston 32 is provided withopp-osed radial slots =37 for facilitating assembly of `the parts whenthe piston and pin 35' are separate parts.

The spring 33, as aforesaid, maintains the pin 35 in a rst position outof engagement with the rupturable end of the cylinder. In order to movethe piston 32 to a second position, wherein the pin 35 is partlyinserted into the end of the cartridge -19 `for rupturing the end 20', alever 40 is mounted on the cap 27 by means of 'a pintle 41 supported inthe bifurcated ends 3S of the cap 27. The lever 40 is manuallyactuatable in a clockwise direction to force the piston into thecylinder. Unlimited axial movement of the piston 32 to the right, asviewed in PIG. 2, is prevented by the side anges `40a of the lever 40which contact the bottom of the slot 38a of the bifurcated end 38 of thecap 27. It will be observed that the pintle 41 is offset from the piston32 so that the side flanges 40a, bottom of the slot 38a, 4and pintle 41cooperate with the piston 32 to maintain the lever 40 in angled relationwith the end 38 of the cap 27.

-On the under side of the lever `40` and adjacent the piston 32 isformed a bead or projection 42 which rides on the end surface of thepiston. The projection 42 is roundbottomed so that -as the lever ismanually pivoted to position the piston in the second position, wherebythe pin 35 ruptures the cylinder and the pressurizing medium is releasedfrom the cylinder, the bead contact with the piston `facilitatesmovement of the lever and prevents binding thereof -on the piston. Forexample, rif the bead 42 were not employed, the lever, as it is movedcounterclockwise, would b-ind on the upper corner of the piston, -asindicated at 33a, and increase the force required to move the lever.Possibly, with a bent pintle 41, binding of the lever at the corner 33amight prevent 'further clockwise movement of the lever and preventrupture of the cylinder. Similarly, without the projection 42, the lever40 would bind on the opposed end 33h with the same possible undesirableresults as indicated above with respect to the corner 33a.

With employment of the bead 42, these possibilities are substantiallyeliminated and, because of the point contact of the bead with the pistonhead, movement of the piston into and out of the counterbore isfacilitated.

The bead also prevents binding at corners 33a and 3317 when thepressurizing medium, in escaping lfrom the cylinder, acts on the pistonand aids spring 33 in moving the piston to the r-ight, as viewed AinFIG. 2. Thus, the actuating mechanism of the present invention assuresthat the cylinder Will be ruptured.

In operation, when it is desired to inate the bladder 8, the lever 40 ispivoted clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 2, to yforce the piston towards thebladder 3 and thereby to press the pin into the rupturable end of thecylinder 119. The pressurizing medium escapes from the ruptured cylinder19 and ows around the cylinder through the iloat channels provided bythe grooves 17 and into the bladder 8. 'Ihe pressure in the bladder thusincreases and cooperates with the spring 33 in returning the piston 32to the right, whereby the pin 35 is removed from the cartridge 19. Thepressure and spring .alsny cooperate to return the lever 49 -to theposition shown in FIG. 2. Although the bladder 8 will eventually beinilated even if the pin 35 is held in the end of the cartridge 19, theiniiation is markedly increased if the pin 3S is removed from thecylinder immediately after puncture. It, `after piercing the cylinder,Ithe pin or needle 35 sticks or lodges in the cylinder end, the actionof the spring and pressurizing medium will pull the stuck slidablecylinder 19 with the piston, and, as the pin 35- moves into the bore 29,the cylinder will abut the shoulder 29a `and the pin or needle will beremoved therefrom.

The pressurizing medium, thus, in addition to inflating the bladder,cooperates with the spring 33 to return the piston and lever 40 to theirnormal position, as shown in FIG. 2, and assures positive removal of thepin from the end of the cylinder 19. The grooves 36 and 37 assure that`actuating malfunction does not occur and that inilation positivelyoccurs, even if the pinhead is stuck in the top of the cylinder 19. Thebead 4Z on the lever 46 prevents binding of the lever and piston duringoperation of the actuating mechanism and cooperates with the inatingpressure and spring 33 to return the piston and lever to their normalinoperative positions, shownin FIG. 2.

When it is desired to replace the `cartridge 19, the cap 27 isunscrewed, the cartridge 19 replaced, and the cap 27 rethreaded. Aradial passage 42a is formed in the threaded portion of the cap 27 sothat the pressurizing medium may escape from the bladder 8 graduallybefore the cap 27 is completely removed. If the diver desires tocompletely or partially deflate the bladder for any reason, he may do soby partially unthreading the cap 27 until the pressurizing mediumescapes through the radial passage 42a from the interior of the bladder.

It is not necessary that the piston and O-ring assembly shown in thedrawing be employed as the cylinder-piercing mechanism since a pistoncarrying the firing pin may be slidably retained in the bore 2,9l by adiaphragm which is secured to the housing 14 and which hermeticallyseals the interior of the bladder shank. The lever y40 and pistoncarrying the needle 35 would operate to puncture the end of the cylinder1,9 and the spring 33 and pressure would cooperate with the diaphragmtoreturn the piston `and lever to their normal positions out ofengagement with the head of the ruptured cylinder.

Thus, with my invention, l provide a simple and effective buoyant andleakproof float device having an actuating mechanism which is manuallyoperable to quickly and easily inilate the bladder and thereby `assurethe proper operation of the device.

Although various minor modications land alterations of the presentinvention will become readily apparent to those versed in the art, itshould be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of lthepatent warranted hereon yall such embodiments as reasonably and properlycome within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

l. A buoyant and leak-proof float device comprising an inilatablebladder having an open end, a cylinder dis` posed in the bladderadjacent the open end thereof for receiving 'and for positioning therein`a rupturable cartridge containing a pressurizing medium for infiatingthe bladder, a bored and removable threaded iitting secured -to thecylinder with the bore thereof in alignment with the longitudinal axisof the cylinder, an annular, shoulderdeiining flange extending into saidbore and defining a pair of counterbores, one of said counterbores beinglocated to receive a portion of a rupturable cartridge in said cylinder,a movable piston in the bore carrying a member for rupturing the portionof said cartridge disposed in said one of the counterbores, and O ringseal movably carried by the piston rin the other of said counterbores toprevent discharge of pressurized fluid Ifrom said bladder between thepiston and the wall of said bore, an

external annular flange carried by the piston in said other counterbore,spring means in said other counterbore bottomed at yone end against saidpiston :liange and at its other end against a shoulder provided by saidshoulder defining ange for biasing the rupturing member away from therupturable cartridge, an operating lever member carried by the iitting,and a round bottomed projection carried by said lever member adjacentsaid piston, said spring urging said piston away from said cartridge andagainst said round bottom projection to locate the lever member in aninoperative position, said lever member being pivotable from saidinoperative position to move said rupturing member to an operativeposition to rupture `said cartridge, said round bottomed projectionbeing rideable on said piston during pivotal movement of said levermember to facilitate movement of said lever member between saidpositions and to prevent binding be- 6 tween said lever member and saidpiston `during movement of the lever member between said positions.

2. The device of claim 1 including a transverse passage in the fittingcommunicating one of said counterbores with the ambient environment forbleeding pressurized medium from the bladder.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,202,415 Christopher May 28, 1940 2,324,744 Ward July 20, '1943l2,347,010 Ward Apr. 1'8, 1944 2,451,475 Craig Oct. 19, 1948 2,533,446Fisher Dec. 12, 1950 2,944,268 Fruendt July 1-2, 1960 `3,019,459 RipleyFeb. =6, 1962

1. A BUOYANT AND LEAK-PROOF FLOAT DEVICE COMPRISING AN INFLATABLEBLADDER HAVING AN OPEN END, A CYLINDER DISPOSED IN THE BLADDER ADJACENTTHE OPEN END THEREOF FOR RECEIVING AND FOR POSITIONING THEREIN ARUPTURABLE CARTRIDGE CONTAINING A PRESSURIZING MEDIUM FOR INFLATING THEBLADDER, A BORED AND REMOVABLE THREADED FITTING SECURED TO THE CYLINDERWITH THE BORE THEREOF IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THECYLINDER, AN ANNULAR, SHOULDERDEFINING FLANGE EXTENDING INTO SAID BOREAND DEFINING A PAIR OF COUNTERBORES, ONE OF SAID COUNTERBORES BEINGLOCATED TO RECEIVE A PORTION OF A RUPTURABLE CARTRIDGE IN SAID CYLINDER,A MOVABLE PISTON IN THE BORE CARRYING A MEMBER FOR RUPTURING THE PORTIONOF SAID CARTRIDGE DISPOSED IN SAID ONE OF THE COUNTERBORES, AND O RINGSEAL MOVABLY CARRIED BY THE PISTON IN THE OTHER OF SAID COUNTERBORES TOPREVENT DISCHARGE OF PRESSURIZED FLUID FROM SAID BLADDER BETWEEN THEPISTON AND THE WALL OF SAID BORE, AN EXTERNAL ANNULAR FLANGE CARRIED BYTHE PISTON IN SAID OTHER COUNTERBORE, SPRING MEANS IN SAID OTHERCOUNTERBORE BOTTOMED AT ONE END AGAINST SAID PISTON FLANGE AND AT ITSOTHER END AGAINST A SHOULDER PROVIDED BY SAID SHOULDER DEFINING FLANGEFOR BIASING THE RUPTURING MEMBER AWAY FROM THE RUPTURABLE CARTRIDGE, ANOPERATING LEVER MEMBER CARRIED BY THE FITTING, AND A ROUND BOTTOMEDPROJECTION CARRIED BY SAID LEVER MEMBER ADJACENT SAID PISTON, SAIDSPRING URGING SAID PISTON AWAY FROM SAID CARTRIDGE AND AGAINST SAIDROUND BOTTOM PROJECTION TO LOCATE THE LEVER MEMBER IN AN INOPERATIVEPOSITION, SAID LEVER MEMBER BEING PIVOTABLE FROM SAID INOPERATIVEPOSITION TO MOVE SAID RUPTURING MEMBER TO AN OPERATIVE POSITION TORUPTURE SAID CARTRIDGE, SAID ROUND BOTTOMED PROJECTION BEING RIDEABLE ONSAID PISTON DURING PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID LEVER MEMBER TO FACILITATEMOVEMENT OF SAID LEVER MEMBER BETWEEN SAID POSITIONS AND TO PREVENTBINDING BETWEEN SAID LEVER MEMBER AND SAID PISTON DURING MOVEMENT OF THELEVER MEMBER BETWEEN SAID POSITIONS.